Did you know that Black Friday is not just  an American influenced discount shopping day before Christmas?

It is in fact a crash hotspot on the calendar, with often more than double the incidents than any other day of the year.

Co-op Insurance is urging drivers to be more cautious this festive shopping season. Hunting down the best deals can often lead to a spike in collision claims (over 48% compared to an average day!).

Searching for safety

The company’s claims data reveals that the last Friday in November sees a huge spike in motor vehicle claims than an average day.

The suggestion is that a deterioration in the weather, shorter daylight hours and road works contribute to a high number of crashes.

A peak of the holiday shopping season is driven by the discount day. It leads to shoppers tracking down the best deals, both in person and through digital formats. The intensity of the 24hour shopping period leads to stress, impatience and  distracted driving. Alongside this you have a  a higher chance of adverse, unpredictable weather, as well as a drive to get road maintenance completed before the festive holiday season. All this can catch drivers off guard and vulnerable.

Dark days

Within the last five years, claims on a Friday were on average 61% higher than on a Sunday, the safest day to travel.

Furthermore, Black Friday usually occurs on the last Friday of November. It leads to a direct spike in Motor Accident & Collision claims compared to any other Friday in November, at an average of 6% more.

 Paul Evans, Head of Motor at Co-op Insurance, says their last five years worth of statistics show “Black Friday is a dangerous day to be on the road”.

“This is when we see the most claims for incidents, as evenings become darker, there’s more adverse weather conditions and roads are generally busier as people commence their Christmas shopping.”

“We’re urging drivers to take sensible precautions by allowing extra time for your journey and checking car lights and tyres before setting off on journeys. This is especially important at a time when there is an increased risk on the roads.”